I am home

Chapter 4: unwanted trip to the clinic

Like usual in this house, I was woken up to kids screaming and loud music. 

I made my way down the stairs, in hopes of finding anything healthy and edible. I parkoured my way into the kitchen, dodging flying building blocks and car toys, trying not to step onto a doll or a piece of legos. 

Making it to your destination was a workout in itself. 

Finally in the kitchen, I tried to hunt for food. The only thing that looked like it wouldn't cause some kind of disease, was a bowl of fruit on the kitchen aisle counter. I grabbed myself an apple and went out to the backyard to look for my sister. 

I took a bite of the apple and spit it out seconds later. What kind of person puts a styrofoam apple in a house full of children? 

I went to the garbage bins and threw it away. As I turned around to leave again, a ball came flying at me, hitting me right in my ribs.

It hurt so bad I almost threw up. I collected myself and made my over to the bathroom, to look at my ribs, only to find them completely bruised. 

My old foster mother had kicked me in the ribs after I tried to throw myself in front of my sister, she actually tried to kick. It never had the chance to fully heal, since something or someone always accidentally injured it further.

Not wanting to get injured further, I went upstairs and rummaged through the boxes hoping to find a book to read. To my surprise, I found an old copy of little women. I made my way to my mattress and started to read the book.

A few hours later Alice came upstairs crying and had blood running down her legs.

Alice: "I crashed into one of the bigger kids and scraped my knee", she cried.

I immediately got up and tried to look for a tissue but to no avail. I took her down to the bathroom and tried to wash the wound so it wouldn't get infected. The Millers didn't even have a bandaid or anything to disinfect. That's when I remembered the sign with the clinic.

I helped Alice jump onto my back and we head out to go to station 19.

I probably looked like a complete lunatic, walking around giving a bleeding 7-year-old a piggyback ride to the fire station but in that moment I didn't care.

Alice: "Are you mad?"

Me: "What? Ali, no. I'm not mad at you."

Alice: "Then who are you mad at", she asked.

Me: "I...I don't know. I'm mad at everyone. I'm mad at the Millers for not caring, and I'm mad at Cindy for leaving us with them. I'm mad at Mamma for choosing drugs over us and not wanting to get better."

Ali wrapped her arms around my neck, giving me a hug.

Alice: "You know I can walk right", she laughed.

Me: "What? Why didn't you tell me. My poor back", I let her down and tickled her.

We both walked the rest to the station, and before we went in Alice squeezed my hand.

Alice: "I don't want to go in there. What if I have to go to the hospital?"

Me: "It's just a scratch Ali. You'll be fine. I'm right here with you", I reassured her.

I gave her another nod and we walked inside.

We were greeted by a familiar face.

Vic: "Oh hey, what are you doing here", she asked with a warm smile on her face.

Me: "Someone got hurt", I said pointing to Alice's knee.

Vic: "Oh yeah", she said guiding us into a makeshift room.